Holiday World or...how to do a super awesome vacation on a shoestring budget

Whoever told you that vacations had to be big, extravagant things was wrong.

Sometimes the best vacations are a few hours drive away...

on a teeny tiny little budget.

The Munchkins have finally reached the age where I felt comfortable taking A Vacation with them.

And, even though I'd reached a general level of comfortability with the theory of it, I was still immensely relieved that my parents wanted to come along as well. Because looking back, three kids, one adult, two days one overnight and one very crowded theme park still would have been far, far too much to handle on my own.

A few thoughts on the experience:

Three hours is a very long time to be in a car with The Munchkins, even when they are very well behaved.

Planning is, as in all things, essential.

The Munchkins & I saved & counted down the days for a good, long while prior to The Vacation...
And there is no better value out there than Holiday World (woo hoo 2nd day discount tickets!)

Everyone chipped in in all sorts of wonderful ways... 

Stevie Wonder and The Beach Boys make excellent road trip music.

Fisher Price Little People Sing Silly Songs does not. Especially, it should be noted, when it is played end to end, twice. It's much akin to having bamboo shoots driven under ones finger nails to be completely honest.

The first ride I go on when I get to an amusement park is still always the bathroom.

 

I don't care how old you are...ice cream IS an acceptable snack no matter what time of day it is.

 

Isabelle is old enough to ride roller coasters. If that didn't shock me into adulthood I don't know what will. I still remember the first roller coaster I climbed onto with my dad some 20-ish years ago. It was the Racer at Kings Island. I wouldn't hold his hand in line because I was so nervous that my palms were sweaty...and I didn't want him to think I was scared...even though the wumpa-wumpa of my rapid heartbeat probably gave it away anyway.  Isabelle, on the other hand, chatted it up for over an hour in line with nothing more than a case of the jumpies when we got to be next in line. She loved it. My girl for sure.

^ Little Thrill Seekers ^

Pepsi Oases are the best thing about Holiday World. Hands down. Free soda for all!

The Monkey managed, in two days, to consume the following: Two ice cream cones, one cup of dippin' dots, one gigantic slice of cheese pizza, three mini corn dogs, half a bowl of apple sauce, one (of MY) chicken finger, one giant corn dog, two oreos, one cup of fruit, a breakfast bar's worth of food, and several hundred cups of root beer and pink lemonade.
This one's just like her momma...

 

Everyone's first reaction to staying in a hotel room for the first time is still to oooohhh and aaaahhh at the tiny soaps and shampoos, and to marvel at the crisp, folded-under corners on the roll of toilet paper in the bathroom. In fact, when we got home, I found Mr. Man in our bathroom, attempting to fold our toilet paper into a point.

Everyone's second reaction to staying in a hotel room for the first time is to jump on the bed. Which I allowed. Because we were, after all, on vacation.

It is, in fact, possible to fall asleep at dinner after a long day at the parks riding rides & swimming. It is also possible to fall asleep in the car, and while being carried back to the hotel after dinner. Playing is hard work...

There are few things funnier than seeing your kids ride the scrambler.
Among those few things, I would include seeing your mother and father ride that same scrambler...

Everyone in my family laughs, rather than screams, on park rides. The only exception being The Monkey as she comes barreling down water slides. She squeals at the top of her lungs just to hear the echo.

We all had a blast.

Temperatures were high and we spent a LOT of time in the water park.

Standing in line for rides and hanging out in wave pools sparked some great little conversations, and as soon as we got in the car after the second day, The Munchkins were already asking when we were coming back.

THIS is going to have to be an annual trip for sure...

 

Saying YES

There are days I just don't give my kids enough credit.


I raise them to be responsible little peoples who think for themselves and take responsibility for their actions, and then I'm all surprised when they actually do.

My bad, guys.

This week Crazy Aunt Jane & Traveling Uncle Matt sent the kids birthday money for their (collective) birthdays. With the caveat they use it for something fun (a day at the pool "on us!" or an all out splurge at the Dollar Spot. You get the idea.)

Immediately all three demanded we put the crisp new $20 bill into the Holiday World Bank; where all our pocket change and loose dollars have been going for the past two months. I nixed it. I told them they HAD to splurge. They HAD to have fun with it. Or Else. Whose kids are these anyway? So, after a dinner's worth of discussion...

"Can we buy a pony?"

No.

"Can we buy an xbox?"

No.

"Can we buy bubble gum?"

Yes.

"Can we buy Nerf Guns?"

No.

"Can we buy ice cream?"

Yes.

"Can we buy new bicycles?"

No.

"Can we save it all for Holiday World?"

No.

"Can we save part of it for Holiday World?"

Yes.

...it was decided that we'd put $5.00 into the Holiday World Bank and that each kid would have $5.00 to go buck wild with at Target. Because, you know, it's Target. It's like the mecca of random shit shopping. We love it there. Collectively. And individually. I mean, it's Target. Anyhoodle. We loaded up the Cavalier and were off.  The entire drive there I'm picturing full-on meltdowns in the toy aisle...arguments over prices and choices...in short? something similar to our typical grocery store visits.

What I got? vastly, and pleasantly, different.  I gave each kid their $5.00 and made them *gasp* do math.

They got a huge kick out of it.

Isabelle ended up snagging a paintbook with tiny little paints, a set of miniature dry erase markers for the dry erase board that hangs over her bed, and a pack of gum.


Sebastian hemmed and hawed and carried around eight different items for varying lengths of time until he finally put them all back, opting for the pool & bathtub Pirate Play Set. Which, honestly? Even I want to play with that thing in the bathtub.


And Sophie, well, The Monkey went all out. She found five disparate items all priced at $1 each...just so she could walk around the store with her arms completely full. She chose a bag of cotton candy, a pack of Strawberry fruit roll ups, a pair of Hello Kitty socks, a pack of six colored multi-shaped erasers, and a pack of "Buddle Gum" so she could "blow buddles".

You know how there are phrases that you are loathe to break your kids of, just for the sheer entertainment value they provide? That's one of them. "Buddle Gum". That just cracks me up.  Her brother & sister are already trying to smother it out of her vocabulary, but I let it slide. Because, let's be honest, part of The Munchkins inherent value in this situation is their entertainment value.

There was not one argument.

There was not one standing-to-the-floor-in-eight-seconds-meltdown.

There was no cajoling me for "just one more dollar, mom, pleeeeaaaase?"

There were just three very well-behaved, thoughtful, delighted little people who each had $5.00 to blow on whatever caught their fancy. The novelty of a shopping trip "Just For Them" had them enthralled. And knowing that, but for the price ceiling, I wasn't going to veto any of their decisions made it the perfect shopping trip.

If I'd known $5.00 was their price point? I would have been using this a loooooooong time ago!  But more importantly, it helped me remember that sometimes, it is more beneficial to my sanity to say "sure!" than "no way, jose" when the kids asked for something random and off the wall. More "Yes"es to the extra helping of ice cream, the five-more-minutes playing outside, the one-more-story. Less "No"s just because I'm tired or feeling cranky or out of sorts after a long day. 

I'm hoping this little more-yeses mantra holds true for all that cashola we have saved up in the Holiday World Bank. I'm already giddy at the prospect of being able to say "YES!" emphatically every time one of the Munchkins asks for an ice cream cone, a funnel cake, some dippin' dots...whatever happens to catch their fancy. Just because we can.

^ Crazy Aunt Jane & Traveling Uncle Matt ^